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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23656813">Just Us in This Space</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Useless_Cucumber/pseuds/The_Useless_Cucumber'>The_Useless_Cucumber</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Decisions, Crash Landing, Galra Courtship, Galra Keith (Voltron), Galra Transformation, Good Lotor (Voltron), I promise this is romance, M/M, Minor Injuries, Original Character(s), slowburn, the beginning is contrived but please bear with me</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:02:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,536</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23656813</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Useless_Cucumber/pseuds/The_Useless_Cucumber</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Keith had promised that he would tell his teammates that he was turning purple in the morning. It's not his fault he crash landed on some unknown planet before that. Okay, maybe it is his fault. But everything after that was out of his hands.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Acxa &amp; Ezor &amp; Lotor &amp; Narti &amp; Zethrid (Voltron), Keith/Lotor (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>304</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Keith honestly wasn't sure when he first noticed the changes. The small splotches of purple were almost unnoticeable at first. And when they did start growing purple, they were easy to mistake as bruises. Sure, he didn't bruise as often as normal humans but he still could bruise if hit hard enough. But when the bruises overstayed their welcome and grew, he knew something was wrong. He started keeping track of how many splotches he had and how big they were.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stayed small at first, growing only a few millimeters in a week. Of course, those were during good weeks, when things were calm and the only stressors were caused by Lance's overcompetitiveness and boredom. But those were rare. Between Galra attacks and freeing planets and </span>
  <em>
    <span>diplomacy</span>
  </em>
  <span>, it wasn't uncommon for Keith to feel overwhelmed. And the busier he was and the more stressed he felt, the faster the splotches grew. The more they inched their way across his skin in uneven patterns. And even then, that was only a mild growth compared to his bad days. Or rather, nights.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith wasn't entirely willing to admit it but he had a bad habit of just not sleeping. It wasn't a good thing for him to do but often it was better than if he did sleep. There was only a limited amount of times someone can wake up in a pool of sweat, heart racing, before they decide it's easier to just not sleep. But the purple splotches hated that more than the stressful days. Though they also hated the nightmares more than they hated the complete lack of sleep, so he felt he picked the better option overall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Either way, it had been months since he first noticed the splotches. Even though they could hardly be called that anymore. The splotches had long since merged together into one large splotch that now covered most of his body. He had stopped tracking its growth after it covered practically all of his torso and started spreading down his limbs. It became too much of a hassle and it wasn't like it was hurting him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or at least he didn't think it was. He hadn't told any of the paladins or Alteans about his condition. But Coran had done a scan of all of them only a month ago after he was told that humans fell ill easily. Keith was sent out with a clean bill of health. The purple didn't show up at all. Keith was physically no different than he was when he first entered the castle after being essentially kidnapped by the Blue Lion according to the castle's technologies.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So it didn't seem important to tell the team that he was changing hue. Or rather, it didn't seem important until now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The past two weeks had been hell. Between near constant attacks from the Empire and nightmares, Keith barely got an hour of sleep total. He was constantly in his armor and didn't even have time for a shower longer than 5 minutes. He was running on empty and the purple had finally enveloped his arms and legs and had started crawling his way up his neck. And it really shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did. He found himself wanting to cover himself for no reason. As if the purple showing was something to be worried about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With his sleep deprived brain, he didn't even have the energy to poke at the holes in that. He just wanted to sleep but he was too wound up to do so. Training didn't relax him the way it typically did and it was likely unsafe when he was like this. Walking around the castle filled him with a nervous energy, which was not what he wanted at all. And sitting in front of the observatory deck window only served to make him </span>
  <em>
    <span>bored</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He was at a loss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was one calming thing left that he hadn't tried yet. But the likelihood of him being allowed to just fly for relaxation was unlikely. Red had been damaged in an attack just hours ago. She was still recovering and her presence in Keith's mind was barely there. She was resting and doing her best to not distract him with her discomfort as the castle fixed her up. She wouldn't be better for a few days. Of course, he could take a pod but he had a feeling he would be told off for that move.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But as he sat there for another hour, watching the stars pass by, he had to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The urge to fly itched under his skin and he had always been bad when it came to denying that urge. Besides, it was the equivalent to 3 am at this point. They were expected to be up by 5:30 for training and he needed at least an hour of rest. Maybe he could bring up the purple after that, assuming there wasn't an attack.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nodding to himself, Keith stood up and stretched a bit. He'd grab a pod and go for a small flight. No longer than 20 minutes. Just long enough for him to relax and maybe sleep a bit. Just long enough that no one will notice. He needed it to stay sane.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Determined, he walked through the halls. Everyone else should be asleep still. Even Pidge. She was the only one he was likely to see at odd hours but for once she had actually gone to bed before midnight. She was likely losing just as much sleep as he was. A fact that seemed to work in his favor at this moment. He didn't see anyone as he made his way to the pod hangar. It made this easier. No one had to know he was out of the castle at all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silently, he entered the closest pod and turned it on, carefully flying his way out of the hangar. It was a relief as the airlock opened and he pulled out into open space. There wasn't anything for as far as he could see aside from the castle and stars. It was perfect. Well, as perfect as he could get flying a pod. They were by no means fast, barely any faster than the Castle's cruising speed. They weren't built to be. The pods were short distance vessels, meant to leave the castle in orbit as they went down to a planet's surface. They didn't need to be fast or weaponized. Just enough to get from point a to point b. So racing it around the castle didn't bring the same thrill as racing Red, who could traverse the length of an entire solar system within a minute or less if she really wanted. But the pod still did what Keith needed it to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The more he sped it around, open space all around him, the more relaxed and at peace he felt. He fought back a yawn as he went ahead of the castle. Like he was attempting to race the massive ship. Slowly gaining ground and, eventually, passing it by. It didn't take much longer for him to hit his self imposed time constraint. He didn't want to go back inside, though he was also starting to have to fight back his tiredness as he slowly turned the pod around. He was a fair distance ahead of the castle at this point. He could go slowly and get at least an extra five minutes before reaching the hangar. An extra five minutes before going inside and forcing himself to stay relaxed enough to sleep. Yes, that was what he would do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he slowed the pod down to a crawl, watching the castle slowly grow closer. And as it did, his eyes started to drift shut. And within seconds, still in a pod, still out in space, Keith fell fast asleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn't sure what was going on when he woke up. He was only aware of a familiar discomfort that came from falling asleep in a chair not meant to be slept in. But it didn't concern him at first. He had a tendency to fall asleep in places he wasn't supposed to sleep. A habit of working himself into the ground and then falling asleep as soon as he's still for longer than a minute.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, the concern didn't start until he noticed a soft beeping noise and he started to open his eyes to be immediately greeted by the vast expanse of space. Made somewhat of a less of a vast expanse by the planet dead ahead of him. It didn't make sense at first. As he looked around and took in the small cockpit and the single light on the control panel that flashed in time with the beeping. He didn't know what it meant but he could take a guess. There was no light in the rest of the pod aside from the single one on the control panel. Attempting to turn the controls in order to move the pod out of its course proved useless. They didn't budge from their place. The pod was out of power and headed straight for an unknown planet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Out of all the ways Keith expected to die, crashing into a planet was actually fairly high up there. Crashing into a planet because he fell asleep at the wheel during a late night joyride was, well, much lower on that list. Unfortunately, there wasn't much else he could do aside from watch as the planet drew closer and the pod seemed to pick up speed. He wondered how long it had been since he fell asleep. If the others had noticed his disappearance yet. They couldn't be that far, right? It could only be three hours since he took a pod before his disappearance could be noticed, right? They were likely coming to get him. He had to trust them</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It filled him with a hesitant feeling of determination. He was going to crash on the planet. There was no doubting that. But maybe he could survive it. Altean technology was more advanced than Earth's. They must have crash-tested their pods for cases of emergency. Or that's what he hoped was the case as the pod shook and hit the atmosphere, rocketing toward the ground. He braced himself for impact and his world went dark.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Keith didn't know how long it took him to come to. His body hurt and his head was pounding. He almost didn't want to move, even as he forced his eyes open. Light shone through the glass of the pod, which appeared mostly intact in his blurry vision. His eyes were having a hard time adjusting and the light made the pounding in his head worse. He must have hit it on something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a shaky exhale, he forced himself into a standing position. He needed to move. Or at least make sure nothing serious was broken. His vision blurred as he moved and he grabbed onto the chair to avoid falling over. His body shook and protested as he stood there. But Keith waited a moment before taking everything in. He didn't seem physically hurt. A concussion most likely but nothing appeared to be broken. He let out a sigh of relief before allowing himself to sit back down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He needed to go out and figure out where he was. But later. If he really had a concussion, he needed at least a day of rest. Or at least that's what other people had always said. He found himself actually agreeing with that now. His head hurt and his vision didn't seem to be getting any clearer. Maybe just resting for a day would do him some good. Just laying down and allowing himself a bit of time to recover from his crash. With painful movements, he shrugged off his jacket and balled it up. As he laid down, he moved the jacket under his head as a pillow. He would allow himself just a few hours of rest, and then he would get up and check out the area around the pod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He probably shouldn't be moving around so soon. But there was a chance the others wouldn't be able to find him immediately, and he needed something he could drink at some point. So after a few hours of laying there, his vision had mostly cleared up and he forced himself back to a standing position. He was still shaky but it didn't seem as bad now. He could manage this. Even if the light still hurt a bit, he needed to make sure the area around him was safe. With careful movements, Keith forced the pod open. There was a blast of colder air that came through the second it opened up, making him shiver. Around him were trees of odd colors that stretched high into the sky. They swayed in the wind, purple and pink leaves rustling. Several had been downed along the path of the crash. Keith moved carefully out of the pod, stepping onto the soft ground. The pod was partially dug into the ground, a clear scar along the path of the crash. The pod itself was visibly damaged but not as much as he feared it might have been. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Light streamed in through the leaves of the trees that were still standing. There wasn't much else around him. Just trees that lay beyond more trees as far as he could see. Though there was an almost insectoid buzz in the air. So there was at least some kind of life on this planet. So there might be some form of water he could find if he looked for it. He took a breath and leaned against the pod. The issue was he could end up getting lost. The trees were dense, it wasn't impossible for him to completely get turned around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, he gathered himself together. He would walk in one direction for 10 minutes and then turn around and walk back. That's it. No wandering. No stopping. Just a straight line one direction and then turning 180 degrees and walking back. He could manage that. It was just one foot in front of the other. Nodding to himself, he started to walk in the direction the pod faced. If he had to do this again, it should be easy to remember which direction he had already checked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So off he went. The dirt was soft beneath him and squished almost like moss with each step as he walked. The trees were tall and only seemed to grow taller as he walked. There didn't seem to be much of a visual difference in the scenery. Trees with blue bark and purple and pink leaves. The taller the tree, the deeper the color of the bark was. Squishy dirt and weird trees that stretched on forever and the mild buzz of insects. He couldn't see anything else. He couldn't hear anything else. He had lost sight of the pod within the first minute and as time crawled forward, Keith only found it all grating on his nerves. There was nothing here. Still he pushed forward. One more minute, he told himself. One more minute, then he'd turn around. Then he'd walk back to the pod and try again tomorrow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But with his next step, there was a snap below his feet and he was suddenly pulled into the air. There was a loud clanging noise almost like a homemade wind chime. Too loud compared to the silence he had been surrounded by up until that point. It rang in his head and made it ache. Though it fell silent after a few moments and Keith opened his eyes to see what had happened. Around him was a net, blue and weaved together in unfamiliar knots. The texture was rough against the little exposed skin he had. It held his weight though it seemed to be built for something a bit smaller than himself in mind if how it dug into him was anything to go by. It was tight and the wind chime made noise every time he moved. The ground was far below him. Too far to fall without getting injured, which meant he wasn't about to use his blade to cut himself free. He was injured enough without a broken leg on top of that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though this was proof that the planet was inhabited by some sort of sentient life. He just had to hope that whatever it was would be friendly. He tried picking what little good things he could out of his situation, trapped and alone with a concussion and a distance away from the only thing the castle could track. His only real hope at getting home. He needed to figure a way out that wouldn't end with him unable to do anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn't sure how long he had been hanging there, stuck in that net, when he heard it. A whisper of several voices. Of people coming. He twisted his body to try to see, causing the chimes to loudly announce his movement. The whispers fell silent in an instant and out of the corner of his eye, Keith saw a single figure stood by a tree, dressed in an odd robe, face shrouded in a 3 eyed mask shaped almost like a skull. It seemed to stare up on him, assessing him, and Keith grew nervous. He reached back and took a hold of his blade's handle. Just in case.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The figure turned and shouted something. It didn't translate but Keith didn't have time to dwell on that as he felt himself start to get lowered. He scrambled to get into a good position to get up quickly should he be lowered all the way down. As he moved, more figures appeared out from behind trees. They were all dressed in a similar manner to the first one. And, unfortunately, a few of them seemed to have bows, drawn taut and aimed directly at him as he was lowered down. It made sense but it still made his blood run cold. Would they shoot him if he ran? He might not have cared if he was dressed in his paladin armor. But he wasn't. If they shot, the arrow would likely go right through and that wasn't something he wanted. So even when he was finally lowered all the way and could feel the ground beneath him, through the net, he didn't try to get out and run. He stayed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The figures didn't move either. They stared at him, weapons at the ready. As if waiting for him to make the first move. They all stayed still, stuck in a stalemate. Keith moved a hand, intent on moving it away from his blade, and all the figures grew tense. It made him freeze, not wanting to be hurt for making a bad move. They were all still for another long moment before one of the figures took a single, hesitant step forward. They seemed to watch him carefully before taking another small step forward. And then another. Until they had slowly made their way over to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keith stayed as still as he could, keeping his eyes on the one approaching. They seemed rather small as they drew close, likely only tall enough to reach his hip standing at their full height. It wouldn't be the first short alien species he's met. Faster than they seemed to have wanted, the figure stopped in front of him, just staring down at him. They were shaking as they reached forward and, with a noise, the net went slack around him and slid off, freeing him from its confines. Almost as soon as they had done that, the figure turned and ran back to the group, hiding behind the first other one it reached. They all just stared at him, as if waiting for something. And, very slowly, Keith tried moving.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The figures were tense as he put both his hands on the ground, and very slowly started to get up. They made no move to stop him, though they huddled closer together, as if looking for safety. He stood to his full height and brought his hands up in what he supposed was meant to be a placating gesture, showing that he didn't mean them any harm. Though he felt stupid as he just stood there while they stared at him. And then, very slowly, one of them lowered their bow. And once they did so, the others followed suit, lowering their various weapons and putting them away. Keith sighed with relief and allowed himself to relax just a bit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That seemed to put them all at ease and Keith was surprised to see them all huddle up and start talking to each other, most of them turning their backs to him. Though he couldn't really complain. He just took a few steps and leaned against the nearest tree, crossing his arms and trying to appear nonchalant. He couldn't see the expressions on the groups' faces but they all seemed to eye his movements warily before returning to their hushed whispers. He frankly didn't care. His head hurt and with a jolt, he realized he didn't know which direction he came from. The trees all look the same and the net had spun around enough to confuse his already malfunctioning internal compass. He had no way back to the pod and it was already seeming to get dark around him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The group huddle separated and most of the group started to walk away, disappearing into the trees. A few stayed still and, surprisingly, a single one of them approached him. They stopped a foot away from him and stared up at him for a long moment before they spoke, words that were unfamiliar and foreign to his ears. They then just stood there, only reaching his hip in height with pale blue skin, looking up at him expectantly. He wasn't sure what to do and he glanced around, looking for anything that might clear up the situation but it was a fruitless endeavor. The alien huffed and repeated themself with clear annoyance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm… sorry?" Keith started haltingly, unsure of himself, "I don't know what you're saying."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hoped they understood him, though on some level he knew they wouldn't. But his words seemed to get something across because after a moment, they reached up and grabbed the edge of his shirt and started to pull him along, headed in the same direction as where the majority of the group had disappeared to. He started to protest but they steadfastly ignored him. He knew that he was fully capable of pulling away from them. He was twice their size and likely much stronger. Yet he found himself following along with almost no protest. Eventually they let go of his shirt but he kept following them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn't know how long they walked for. It was difficult to keep track of time and they didn't walk in a straight line to wherever they were headed. He would normally be able to keep decent track of directions but his brain wasn't exactly working in peak condition. The alien had attempted to say something to him a few times but it was quite apparent they did not understand each other in the slightest, much to their frustration.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They walked for a while longer before they reached what Keith could only assume was a wall of sorts. It blended in with most of the forest, made out of the blue wood from the trees. It was remarkably tall given the size of the aliens and seemed to go on for a good distance. Farther than he could see, that's for sure. But he didn't have much time to theorize as the alien that he was following pushed on the wall and an entrance revealed itself, barely taller than the short species. Still, they motioned for him to go through. And who was he to argue after following them all this way. So he ducked down and made his way through. On the other side was a clearing. Or maybe valley was a better term. Now in a more open space, he could see how far the wall really went. It didn't seem as big or imposing on the inside. The blue wall was a large semi-circle that encompassed a small valley underneath a towering cliffside which appeared to be almost hollowed out, huts seemingly carved into the rock itself. The two ends of the wall were pressed against the sides of the cliff, effectively cutting the rock village off from the rest of the planet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a gentle prodding to the back of his legs and he quickly remembered that he was still blocking the entrance. The second he moved out of the way, the small group of aliens that had stayed behind with him came flooding in, quickly shutting the entrance behind themselves. They didn't even hesitate before making a beeline for the village. Though one of them stayed behind and just stared at him expectantly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Let me guess. You want me to follow you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no response. Not that he was expecting one. But he took a step closer to them and they simply turned and started walking towards the carved out buildings. He followed them all the way up to the first building, where they motioned for him to wait as they went inside. A small glance through the door revealed a wall of weapons and a wall of the odd masks they were wearing. An armory then.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within a few seconds, the alien came back out. They no longer wore their mask and now Keith could clearly see their face. They appeared to look almost like a short, humanoid lizard with a long face and two short horns on the top of their head. They motioned for him to follow again and entered the village proper. The other aliens, or maybe he should call them locals, openly stared at him as they passed. They clearly weren't used to outsiders, especially ones that stood at twice their height. That would put just about anyone off guard. Still, their gazes made him uncomfortable as they walked, all the way towards the very back of the carved out cave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There, carved into the very back wall, was a large building that seemed much larger than all of the ones they had passed along the way. The local he was following called out as they approached the building and, moments later, there was a call back from inside that they seemed to take as permission to enter. They walked through the door, which Keith had to duck down to fit through. The inside was surprisingly spacious, an open room with tall ceilings, floor covered in rugs and what seemed to be animal pelts. There was a short table off in the corner with a small bowl full of what seemed like bread rolls. Another local came out of a back room, muttering to themselves. This one was adorned in much simpler robes in comparison to the other locals he had seen so far. Yet embedded amongst the scales on its face were small gems that glimmered in the low light coming off of the candles around the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The local he had been following bowed their head politely as this other one entered the room. The newcomer simply tutted and spoke. Their voice was deeper than he expected but seemingly more aged too. It was hard to tell. Still, the local raised their head at being spoken to and, once the newcomer stopped speaking, responded with an odd vigor, making wide motions with their hands and even pointing towards him in some places. The newcomer listened intently, slowly fixing their gaze onto him. It filled him with a sense of unease as they stared at him unblinkingly. Soon, his guide stopped talking and the newcomer nodded slowly, speaking once again, voice soft. And with a nod, the guide nodded, turned, and left. Leaving him alone with the newcomer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They simply smiled at him and walked over to a small pile of pelts and pat it, gazing at him intently. They wanted him to sit down. Very hesitantly, he made his way over and sat. The pelts were remarkably soft beneath him and they smiled at him, speaking softly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know what you’re saying,” he tried to interject but they just kept speaking, as if they hadn’t heard him at all. He felt himself growing nervous but they just continued on, walking around the room and picking various jars and bowls off of shelves. He wasn’t sure what was going on anymore and nearly flinched when they suddenly put a hand on his forehead, tracing along an invisible line. He tried to pull back, away from their touch and they tutted as if reprimanding a small child. It almost made him feel sheepish. Still, they reached out again and ran their finger across his forehead again. It felt odd.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a flourish, they turned away from him and murmured softly as they started moving things out of jars and into the bowls. He didn’t recognize the ingredients but he was on another planet so that did make sense. With a nod, they screwed the lid back onto the jars and took an oddly shaped stick. It was short and thick and rounded on one end. And in small movements, they started to stir the ingredients they had put in one of the bowls. No. Not stir. Grind. It was a mortar and pestle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soon, they had created a fine powder and he watched as they then poured that out into another bowl and took a spoon and mixed it all together. The end result was a pinkish paste that they took a scoop of and turned to him. He wasn’t sure what was going on but before he could even process what was going on, they reached over, moved his bangs, and began to smear the paste onto his forehead. It was colder than expected and he tried to flinch away. A vain effort as they were stronger than they looked and kept his head firmly in place before letting go after they were done. He blinked a few times and watched as they gathered their things and started to put everything back. He had no idea what had happened until an odd tingling sensation began where the paste had been smeared. And gradually, the dull throbbing that he had been feeling in his head since he woke up after the crash began to disappear. All at once, he felt like he understood. He had been brought to a healer of sorts. Had they been able to sense his concussion somehow? That had to be the case, right? Why else would they smear random pain killing gunk onto his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The alien milled around the room as they finished putting their things back in their proper place. They hummed softly, a deep, rumbling, and comforting tune. He felt his body start to relax into the pile of pelts he was seated on. He’s eyes grew tired and he tried to hum along as the tune repeated. His throat seemed to vibrate with the sound. Maybe he would be safe here while waiting for the team to find him.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Keith wasn’t sure how long he had been on this planet. Time seemed to pass slower, something he blamed on the longer day cycle that came with the planet having two suns. Still, there had been no sign of the Castle or the paladins. He doubted they could find the location of the pod with it out of commission. And the planet was so low tech, he had no hope of being able to fix or even recharge it. He had given up on going home and had contented himself to living with the locals, who had practically taken him in. He did his best to act as an asset to them and repay them for that kindness. It wasn’t too difficult. Once the healer had cleared him enough to leave their home, he had been dragged off to help with various chores around the village. Mostly cleaning places they had difficulty reaching at first. He suspected they were under orders from the healer to not make him do anything too physically extensive. But eventually they started allowing him to help with more laborious tasks, such as moving stones that they had carved out to the cliff as they slowly expanded their village. Then he was allowed to join their hunting parties. He didn’t wear a mask like the rest of them as they hunted. They didn’t fit his face properly. Though no one seemed to mind as they went along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunting mostly seemed to involve checking various traps that lay hidden beneath the dirt or in the trees. Most of what they seemed to catch were small animals that looked similar to rabbits. But on rare occasions, there was something else caught in the nets or snares. Something more dangerous that made Keith understand why they all seemed to hunt in such large groups. Why a good portion had close range weapons when the bows were used to kill their hunt before the net was even lowered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were predators in the forest. Larger than the locals and ferocious. They would sometimes get caught in the nets and would struggle to get out. It was what the wind chimes were for. The larger the creature caught, the louder they rang. The predators were the largest thing they knew of on that planet. The chimes were loud when one was caught and it made the hunting parties terrified. Keith hadn’t understood at first. Not until they reached the net that was making noise and he got to see it for himself. High above his head, hissing and yowling, biting and clawing at the net was what he could only describe as a monster. It had horrified him when he first saw it. Its pelt was dark in color, a shade that would effortlessly blend into the ground. The only color was its teeth and claws, blue like the bark. But its saliva was a deep red like blood, dripping out of its mouth in thick globs. As if it had just killed a person.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had unsettled him and the locals were very obviously terrified too. It had been worse when one of them, younger than the rest, had lifted their bow and shot the thing. The arrow had bounced right off and landed on the ground with a small thud. The normal method didn’t work. But one of the older members yelled the command he had come to understand as “Lower the net!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few rushed to obey. Mostly the ones with bows. While the ones with knives stood at the ready as the net began to be lowered. He knew better than to doubt the capabilities of the locals. They had adapted to living on this planet, after all. But still, the idea of attacking this thing with knives after watching an arrow bounce off like it was nothing scared him. Especially since its jaws and claws could reach through the holes in the net.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had learned what the blood color of the locals was that day. The creature had nearly bitten one of their arms clean off before it had been stabbed clear through the head. A putrid yellow color leaked onto the forest floor from their arm. The party had rushed them back to the village as fast as they could, though they tasked Keith in carrying the beast’s corpse back. It was uncomfortable. The thing was heavier than it looked and he had to sling it over his back. The village had not celebrated that night, something they typically did after a successful hunt. Not that Keith would call it successful. The hunter had lived but they had lost their arm entirely and were bedridden for a long time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The village had dealt with the body of the beast with the utmost care, taking more time to skin it than they would anything else that was hunted. It seemed to have only specific spots where the pelt was thin enough to pierce through even with the sharpest blade they had. It was a slow process but Keith took the time to help out and memorize those spots. He didn’t want to see another member of this village hurt, though he knew he likely wouldn’t be able to help in the long run. Still, whatever he could do to help while he was able to for the best in the long run. It wasn’t like he was going to get off of this planet anytime soon, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was ready the next time they had come across another one of the creatures during a hunt. Before they even started to lower the net, Keith grabbed his blade, aimed carefully, and threw. It struck home in the middle of the beast's chest. It was still in knife form but it was buried all the way to the hilt. The hunting party stared at him with a mix of shock and surprise but Keith ignored it. The beast had stopped moving but it was still breathing as the net was lowered. It made no effort to fight back even as he reached down and took a hold of the blade’s hilt. There was a small flash and it grew in his hand, and out of its back, the tip of his fully transformed blade stuck out, the luxite piercing clean through. He twisted it and then roughly yanked it out and the beast fell still. He relaxed only when he could see that it wasn’t breathing anymore. Red blood leaked out of the wound and soaked the ground beneath it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had carried the corpse back to the village as a group this time. The trek was oddly silent and the hunting party didn’t look at him once the whole way. He wondered if they were upset with him for some reason, though he couldn’t really be sure. The silence continued even as they made their way to the village and to the area where they were to clean and gut and skin their kills. Almost as soon as they had dropped the beast's body off, he was shooed away. It left him at a loss. Did he make a mistake in killing the thing? He couldn’t exactly ask. So he left to go wash up in a small stream that ran through the end of the valley. His hands were covered in blood and he needed to clean his blade off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat by the water's edge and washed off his blade, watching as the blood colored the water before it was carried downstream, outside of the wall. He cleaned every part he could before turning it back into a knife and securing it back in his belt. He then rinsed off his hands and sat back. He didn’t have anything else to do that day. The first sun had already set which means no one was allowed out of the walls and those who were out were coming home. The second sun would set within two hours and that would signal that it was time for dinner and then bed. He was abysmal at cooking and had been shooed away from cleaning the kill already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So there he sat, just gazing out into the water. And then leaning forward and gazing into it. There weren’t exactly mirrors for him to look into around him. So the water was the best reflective surface he was going to get. When he had first seen himself after the crash, he had freaked out. His face had nearly been entirely taken over by the purple save for a few patches around his right eye. He was well past that now. His entire face was purple and darker purple stripes had appeared on his cheeks. His hair had changed too. The color was a  darker purple closer to the roots that had faded into a pink color towards the ends. His ears had become more pointed in a way that reminded him of Allura and Coran. And the whites of his eyes were now a far more vivid yellow. His iris and pupil hadn’t changed all that much at least. He was still recognizable. Just the wrong color. His changes hadn’t caused any issues with the villagers, though to them it was likely minor. He was always mostly purple to them. And for all they knew, it was normal for his species. Then again, for all he knew, it was normal too. It's not like he had anyone to ask out here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he was honest, he was worried about what that answer would even be. If it was no, was something seriously wrong with him? What if it was normal for hybrids to completely change characteristics? Did that mean he had been neglected that information because it wasn’t relevant to taking down the Empire? That was likely something Kolivan would do. Though what he was most worried about was how the paladins would feel if he ever saw them again. For all intents and purposes he did look Galra and surely Shiro and Allura wouldn’t like that. They both had been getting better at working alongside Galra but still. Trauma doesn’t just disappear. Then again, it wasn’t like he’d ever see them again. So maybe it didn’t matter what he looked like. It’s not like he had cared about appearances before. It shouldn’t matter now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat out there for a long time, watching the water flow downstream, listening to the buzzing of foreign insects. Eventually, the second sun started to dip below the horizon and one of the villagers ran up to him. His hearing had improved after his ears had changed and he heard them approaching long before they called out to him. Still, he waited for them to call out a butchered pronunciation of his name before he turned his head towards them. It was one of the kids of the village. Or at least he thought they were a kid based off of the fact they were smaller than most everyone else and generally wasn’t allowed outside of the walls. Though he honestly couldn’t know for sure. It’s not like he could ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They jumped up and down excitedly and called his name again. He found it almost amusing as he stood up. They raced over to him quickly and grabbed him by the hand, pulling him toward the village. It was likely time for dinner then. They had an odd rule about everyone being present during meal times unless they were injured. This rule ended up extending to him too and if he wasn’t already in the village when meal time came, someone would be sent off to get him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked calmly back to the village. The nightly fire was already going strong and everyone was already gathered around, beginning to dish up the food that had been prepared for that evening. The children and elderly were served first. After that, he didn’t really know how the pecking order was situated. He just typically waited until everyone else had gotten something before getting his own food. It worked out well for him. He was, in the end, just a guest after all. One who didn’t know their customs or speak their language. It was for the best that he was careful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something seemed different this time. The child led him quickly to where the meals were often held and had him take a seat, babbling away happily in a way Keith still could not understand. But that didn’t seem to matter. More villagers were filtering into the area, drawn by the scent of food. They were talking amongst themselves cheerfully, in a way that felt odd compared to the silence the last time a beast had been brought back. He silently sat and waited for them all to get settled down. He didn’t feel too impatient and, to his surprise, quite a few of them stopped to pat him on the shoulder as they passed him by to take a seat. The behavior confused him but he chose not to question it too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t take too long for most of the village to find their seats and fall into a hush as the healer walked out. He had gotten the general sense that they were the closest thing to being the leader the village had so he wasn’t too surprised to have them speak to the village as a whole. The language was indecipherable to him. A series of clicks, chirps, growls, and other vocalizations that he had no hope in mimicking. Still, he sat there quietly and listened as they spoke, watching them sweep their arms out wide gestures. They then clapped their hands together and the rest of the village made a noise that he could only guess was a cheer. And then there was a bustle again as everyone went and grabbed themselves food.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The healer seemed to carefully move their way towards him through the crowd. Everyone else moved around them until they finally reached him and sat down. He watched as they made themself comfortable before turning to face him, looking pleased. Keith only watched with vague curiosity as they reached over to gently take his hand and pressed something into it. Their voice was almost soft as they spoke, careful, measured. He didn’t know what was being said but he could tell it meant something important. So he sat silently, allowed them to curl his fingers around the object, and stayed still when they lightly pat his hand before standing again and leaving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He waited until they were out of sight before looking at what he had been given. It was a simple cord, blue like all their ropes were. But tied into it was a large tooth, a darker and more vivid shade of blue than the rope and sharp as a knife. From the beast. He was given a necklace with a tooth on it. It somehow wasn’t the strangest thing he had been gifted. Still, it was a gift, which means he was expected to wear it. So he simply shrugged and put it on and went on with the rest of the night. He ate and sat and listened to the noise of the villagers talking and their children playing, content with just watching the stars in the sky.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for the long wait, I kept fiddling with this chapter and couldn't seem to get it how I liked it. Lotor will be making his appearance in the next chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>To say that Lotor enjoyed his duties to the Empire would be an atrocious falsehood, even if he pretended otherwise. But his father was in power and his word was law. And if Lotor was under orders to go bring a planet under command of the Empire, who was he to disobey? He’d conquer the planet. But it didn’t mean he had to be fast or violent about it. Honestly, he knew the orders were given only to keep him busy and out of the way. His father didn’t want anything to do with him, after all. And a new, unimportant planet was as good an excuse as any to keep him on the far reaches of the Empire and out of sight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>However, his father was a fool in many regards. He assumed Lotor had ‘learned his lesson’ after the first planet he was given rule over was destroyed. He was wrong. Lotor had simply learned to change his tactics. He would not use any people as kindling. Not even if pushed to do so. Especially not for a corrupt Empire he couldn’t put any faith in. Instead, since he was typically given all the time in the universe to carry out what was possibly considered the simplest of tasks by the Empire at large, he ‘conquered’ each planet peacefully and relocated the inhabitants away from the grasp of the Empire.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had a stock of translator chips at his disposal and the trained skill to implant them so that the local life could have them if they so desired. And he took the time, with the help of Narti, to upload whatever new languages they encountered into the Empire’s database. Communication was vital towards cooperation. And it would make it so he didn’t have to take the native’s languages from them. Language was a keystone to culture. Destroying one’s culture is an act of genocide. And Lotor was not of the type to commit such atrocities.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So he took his time. This new planet wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. He could take his time and find out every last detail he could before even setting foot on the planet, “Acxa, report.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sir. Based on the readings and images from the surface, the planet is indeed inhabited, though the native species is rather primitive. They shouldn’t be dangerous to meet, even if they attack.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And the atmosphere?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Breathable,” she stated simply, “We shouldn’t need to bring any air down with us. Lightens our load.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excellent. Inform me if you find anything out of the ordinary. Otherwise, we touch down within the movement,” he said as he stood, moving to exit the room. He had to check on the other’s and make sure the proper preparations were under way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded, “Understood. I’ll see you at dinner then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lotor walked directly to the training room. He knew his generals well by now, so it was of no surprise to find Zethrid and Ezor sparring. It was fast paced and violent, just how those two liked it. He considered waiting for them both to finish, but if the past had taught him anything, that could take upwards of half a varga. Likely even more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see you’re both taking a break,” He interjects, watching them both hardly react other than a small wave, before continuing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Heya, Lotor!” Ezor says cheerfully as she dodges a punch from Zethrid with a learned grace, “What brings you here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just wrapped up a brief status check with Acxa and was wondering if you two were planning on working today. And also to check on your statuses while here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re fine Lotor,” Zethrid doesn’t even pause her attacking, “And we’ve already done some work today so don’t give us that crap!” Ezor snorts before flipping over Zethrid and landing nimbly behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would still like for you both to assist Acxa once you’re finished flirting. Or at least do checks over the pod to make sure it’s fully functional. We’ll be touching down within a movement and I would prefer not to crash land on the way down.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll do it. Don’t worry about it,” Zethrid waved him off as she parried Ezor’s attacks now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you will. Have you seen Narti recently? I still need to check on her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Try hiding spot number three!” Ezor called out, as he was already turning to be on his way, “She was meditating with Kova there earlier!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, Ezor. Enjoy your spar.” He made his way through various hallways. Narti was always quiet before their expeditions. He didn’t blame her for it. Making contact with new people always took a lot out of her. Thus, she would typically find a dark corner to sit in and just meditate for a few vargas. They typically left her be, unless she was open to one of them meditating with her. Or when Lotor decided to do his rounds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ezor was correct on which spot Narti had decided to use today. Though she normally was. His general was seated silently with her legs crossed, hands on her knees. Kova laid peacefully on her lap, opening his eyes only when Lotor approached and sat down a few feet away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Narti,” she tilted her head ever so slightly, listening, “are you doing well today?” A nod, “That’s good. We’ll be touching down within a movement. Will you be able to help with this one or would you like to sit it out? I won’t force you to overwork yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Narti shook her head and reached a hand out, which he delicately took. Immediately he felt the sensation of amusement and the soft thought of, “I want to help, Lotor. There’s no need for charades this time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you certain? Narti, it’s very important that you be sure of this. I don’t want you draining yourself just to ease along a talk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can handle it. I’ve been resting enough, Lotor.” The thought was firm, without a trace of doubt. It helped ease his concern.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very well then. We’ll head down when we’ve learned all we can from here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Narti nodded and withdrew her hand to lightly pet Kova and continue her meditation. Lotor adjusted his position, settling in to meditate beside her. It would do him some good, a chance to calm any thoughts racing below the surface. They had a movement to prepare for contact. He knew he couldn’t mess this up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The ground was soft under his weight, a cushion of soil that he prodded at before kneeling over and collecting some in a vial. He wanted to examine its chemical components later. It may give him some insight into how the planet itself worked, how it came to form life. It was a topic that endlessly fascinated him. For now, however, he needed to continue following his map to the coordinates of the supposed encampment of the native intelligence. He couldn't know for certain if the bio scans were true. But it was worth looking into. Arranging a meeting with the locals would do him better in the long run.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His generals followed after, branching out a short distance to collect small samples from the local flora. Staying within eyesight was important on an unknown planet. Everything carried the potential to be a threat. Their walk wasn’t long at the very least. They had landed their pod a smart distance away. Close enough in case of an emergency but far enough away to not be viewed as a threat toward the locals. He drew up short as they reached a wall, built out of the tall trees of the forest, towering over them. A good defensive structure, if fairly primitive. That didn’t come as a surprise though, observations of the planet had shown an abundant lack of technology. Something that was common when it came to pre-contact planets. He tapped on the wall as he walked down it’s length. It stretched on for a fair bit but there was no visibly marked entrance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He drew his gaze upwards, searching. There had to be something. Faintly, he caught a glance of what appeared to be a type of string, stretching from the forest to inside the wall. It was too thin to be for transport or travel. It would likely snap if too much weight was applied. Potentially it could be some type of warning system, though not one he could make sense of without more details.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lotor,” he turned as Acxa spoke, watching her feel along the wall, “there’s a seam here. It’s likely a door.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, should we go in? Or do we wait for someone to come out?” Ezor bounded over quickly, feeling alongside Acxa at the seam before just knocking on the door. Acxa rolled her eyes almost fondly before walking off to keep watch of the area Ezor had just left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll wait for the time being. It would be rude to barge into their home when we’re only here for a simple talk,” he spoke smoothly even as Zethrid groaned, “We don’t want to evoke any hostility.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stood out there for at least a half a varga, recording casual observations about the planet's surface while Ezor occasionally knocked on the door. Zethrid was growing impatient with each passing tick but he paid her no mind as Ezor knocked yet again and the door opened outward. A small reptilian poked their head out, staring up at them with a look of surprise. But they did not close the door immediately. Which was at least a good sign. Lotor bowed his head and, despite knowing the native would be unlikely to understand him, he introduced himself, “Greetings, I am Prince Lotor. May I speak with whomever is in charge?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They looked at him curiously before closing the door slightly and saying something. There were a few responses on the other side of the wall. They did not come to answer the door alone. Discussion didn’t last long and eventually the door crept back open and the native motioned at them to come through. Zethrid stared at the door as Acxa ducked down and carefully helped to lead Narti through as well, “Yeah… That isn’t happening. Lotor, permission to return to the ship?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lotor glanced between her and the door and nodded. Zethrid would not be able to fit through the door barely larger than the natives, “Go on ahead. Bring the samples with you and begin running the necessary tests.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She barely waited for him to finish before she hurried off back into the forest, causing Ezor to snicker as she ducked through the door. Lotor quickly followed suit and was greeted to the sight of several of the native species eyeing them curiously. A few of them seemed to whisper amongst themselves while giving them wary glances. They were not kept waiting long as the entrance was closed behind them and one of the natives spoke loudly before turning and motioning them to follow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were led across the open field toward a village carved into a cliff face. It wasn’t a bad design by any means. It likely was a good use of resources for them and the rocky outcropping would serve as good protection from any unwanted elements. While the shade is a little odd for a reptilian species to seek out, there seemed to be basking rocks made out of the carving waste just outside of the mountain’s shadow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lotor followed the group closely as they were led farther back into the village. A few natives would pause whatever they were doing to watch as they walked. They didn’t seem as concerned by his presence as he would have expected. Most pre-contact civilizations were like that, but other than a few stares, they were ignored. Almost as if the locals were used to something like this. Now that was an odd thought. Odd and vaguely concerning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were led to the very far back wall, stopping at one innocuous looking door. The one leading them called inside and, after a faint reply was received, motioned them inside. The door was small, just like the one hidden in the outer wall and Lotor had to duck down to enter. The inside was more spacious than he thought it would be at least. He wandered further inside as his general’s entered behind him. Piles of pelts and rugs seemed placed randomly around the floor, low placed shelves lined the walls, covered in trinkets and jars half filled with various substances. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A short figure made their way out of a back room. They were dressed plainly, aside from gems glittering from where they were embedded in scales. Most likely the one in charge. So Lotor politely bowed his head and spoke in a carefully measured tone, “Hello, I am Prince Lotor. These are my generals. Thank you for seeing us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The being looked at them curiously before speaking in vocalizations that he didn’t understand. They sat down on a pile of furs and motioned to a pile across from themselves. Lotor sat down on the pile with no complaint. They couldn’t communicate quite yet. So he had to avoid doing anything that might be seen as offensive. Ezor happily sat down in another nearby pile, though Acxa remained standing behind him. At least their host didn’t seem upset by it. Narti politely took a seat at Lotor’s side, between him and the native villager, waiting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first steps before proper communication could be achieved were always awkward. He didn’t much like fumbling through greetings with people who couldn’t understand him. He did find a solution at least, “Narti? Are you ready?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Narti nodded and raised both her hands, offering one to Lotor, and the other to their host. They eyed her hand cautiously but followed his lead as he took Narti’s outstretched hand. A few ticks went by before he felt it, the sudden sensation of connection. Narti truly was a valuable ally with the sheer capabilities of her mental abilities. With a calming breath, Lotor began to think.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello. Can you understand me now?” A feeling of surprise and shock made its way to him, clearly reflected on their hosts face before a pleased expression took over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. I can. I do not understand how you have managed this, stranger.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Narti here is capable of a great many feats like this. I’m quite glad she is willing to assist in this way. Speaking is rather difficult without the ability to understand each other,” he thought with a polite smile, “And now that we can understand each other, please allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Lotor of the Galra Empire. These are my generals Acxa, Ezor, and Narti. What may I call you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am Sysi. What is your purpose here? Are you intending to stay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. We are here to learn about your people and way of life.” A minor half truth. He knew it was better to omit certain details, rather than concern people about a potential demise. Especially this early into talks. You never want to cause a panic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that a common quest among your people?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not at all. Why do you ask?” He watched as Sysi schooled their expression, keeping whatever they were thinking closed off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Curiosity. How long do you intend on staying with us?” Lotor paused, looking over their face with caution.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t seem too concerned by our presence.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have had one who looks similar to you living amongst us for the last few moon cycles.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Similar to me?” He asks. It's a concerning notion to consider. Has someone from the Empire come to stay on this supposedly pre-contact planet? No. That made no sense. He wouldn’t have been sent here if that were the case. So what kind of person did they have living here?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sysi merely nods, visibly pleased, “Yes. His hair is darker than yours though. Aside from that and a few markings, you look similar to him. So does the one behind you. Acxa, correct?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. Her name is Acxa. Do you think I would be able to meet this person?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course. Please follow me,” they say before gently releasing Narti’s hand and heading out of the front door. Lotor stood and motioned his generals to follow as they exited after Sysi.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is based off of art made by tumblr user the-space-case which you can find here:<br/>https://the-space-case.tumblr.com/post/166866780199/this-is-how-i-plan-fics-that-ill-never-write<br/>It won't be the same as the story the artist originally had in mind but credit where credit is due, I would have no story to tell without their art in the first place.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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